Another one: Camden Council are proposing some pretty impressive improvements to the already good cycling provision on Royal College Street.
I dropped them a quick email to Brian Deegan at Camden Council to support this work:
Dear Brian,
I would like to voice my support for the proposed improvements to Royal College Street.
I live in West London, and cycle to work in Shoreditch via Bloomsbury. I support this work not because of its direct effect on my journey, but because it is a significant step in raising the standard of cycle provision in London, something that is all the more relevant now TfL are showing willingness to adopt new best practices in cycling infrastructure.
Camden council already has some of London’s best cycle provision. I use the Bloomsbury cycle route every day because, despite its weird chicanes, it is possibly the most pleasant way to cross central London. It is great to see that, with the plans for Royal College Street, you are still at the forefront of cycling provision in this city.
On your specific questions
1. I agree entirely with the installation of a southbound cycle lane, and the resulting provision of two wide cycle paths, and I hope this can serve as a blueprint for future implementations of segregated cycle infrastructure.
2. I agree with the raised junctions, as this will slow traffic down and reduce the risk of cyclists being cut up.
3. I agree with the replacement of traffic signals with a raised junction, again as a way of reducing the risk of cyclists being cut up.
4. I have no direct opinion on the changes to parking, but support them as part of the overall scheme.
5. The segregation proposals look generally very good. I would like to raise two notes of caution: first, that there is enough separation between parked cars and the cycle path to avoid risk to cyclists from car doors being opened; and secondly, if a stretch of parking is entirely empty, then there is the possibility that drivers will use it as a second lane, possibly for overtaking, and that the segregation along this stretch should still be significant enough to reduce the risk of drivers erring into the cycle path.
6. I have no direct opinion on the removal of road humps; if you feel that other measures will keep speeds under control, then I am satisfied with that.
I wish you all the best in implementing this scheme,
Yours,
Matthew Butt
Matthew Butt 